Montessori Gifts for Toddlers (2 – 3 Years Old)

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Are you in a dilemma about what to gift your 2-3 years old toddler?

Take a cue from here and ease your dilemma by introducing your toddler to Montessori-friendly materials from which they will benefit throughout their life.

At two to three years old, you can expect toddlers to be physically and mentally very active as they undergo multitudes of transformations.

Typical behavioral changes include throwing tantrums, learning to frame simple sentences, pretend play, independence, new thinking skills, and much more.

They demand to be fiercely independent and curious about their surroundings. They are high on stimulation and want to be busy with real-life activities with adults around.

Montessori gifts can be the best choice for your toddler as they will not only fully engage them but can be educational.

Let us understand how Montessori-friendly toys can be the best gift for your 2-3 years toddler.

Montessori Friendly toys

The Montessori principles founded by Dr. Maria Montessori, are based on her observations and experimentation with children’s behavior.

The Montessori method of teaching is a scientific-based educational approach and advocates hands-on learning and imaginative play for the complete development of children.

Montessori’s philosophy believes children, being highly receptive during the first six years of their lives, should be provided maximum opportunities to learn through effective ways like sensory stimulation and critical thinking.

How are Montessori toys different from regular toys?

They are different from usual toys in the following ways.

  • Montessori toys come with a purpose. They focus on academics and practical life skills so children can master the skills as they play.
  • They are made of natural materials like wood, metal, and rubber. They come in child-sized and are child-safe.
  • These toys encourage creative and imaginative play and promote cognitive development.
  • Montessori toys and activities do not overwhelm children. They stimulate children and help them develop their sensory organs.
  • As the toddlers play with the Montessori toys, they develop fine motor skills, independence, and confidence.

Montessori-friendly toys follow the principles of Montessori and hence, are the best selection for gifting children.

Do you want to know the Montessori-friendly toys and activities that can be the best gift for your toddler?

Here you will find a curated list.

Simple Alphabet Coloring Pages

It includes a coloring page for letters to help your child learn upper and lowercase letters. They are printable and affordable. Each coloring page has pictures with that letter so that children can better associate the letters with images they may already know.

You can laminate the pages and let your child learn their letters using playdough to shape each letter.

  Benefit – ABC Alphabet Coloring Pages stimulate creativity in children and help develop language skills.

Knobbed cylinders

These consist of four sets of cylindrical wooden blocks with knobs. Each cylinder set has cylinders of different sizes.

Using these, children learn to distinguish different sizes and to measure objects. The cylinders are removed from the knobs and replaced. It helps to learn about sizes accurately.

Benefit – BOHS Montessori Knobbed Cylinders Blocks help toddlers learn the concept of height, size, counting, and geometry shapes.

It is ideal for enhancing fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, hand coordination, and dexterity for toddlers. Also, help in the development of vocabulary.

Pikler Triangle

Pikler triangle is an environment-friendly, simple wooden climbing structure in a triangle with rods across it. The rods act as climbing frames.

Toddlers as young as two years old begin to explore it by climbing halfway up and down. Three years old children can move swiftly up and down both sides of the Pikler triangle. They can balance while playing on it.

Benefit – The Pikler triangle strengthens motor skills, helps them balance their control, and makes them confident. It can be ideal for indoor as well as outdoor activities.

Wooden Play Food And Slicing Kit

Toddlers 2-3 years old are curious and eager to emulate adults. CARLORBO Wooden Play Food for Kids Kitchen is perfect for pretend play food, sliceable fruits, and vegetables.

Kids will enjoy playing with the bright-colored foods and cutting them on the chopping block. Kids can use wooden knives to cut up fruits and veggies as these are durable and safe.

Benefit – It helps in teaching fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This kit also encourages imaginative and independent play. It can also help to enhance vocabulary and reinforce healthy eating with familiar-looking produce.

Wooden building blocks

The Melissa & Doug wooden building blocks set includes 100 durable wooden blocks in 4 colors and nine shapes. These are durable, safe, and lightweight. It will be a nice gift for your toddler.

Benefit – It is a classic educational toy that provides prolonged hours of hands-on, screen-free play and learning. This beautifully crafted product from Melissa & Doug sparks imagination and creativity in toddlers.

Toddler Musical Instruments

LOOIKOOS Toddler Musical Instruments inspires the inner musicians in the 2-3 years of toddlers. These toddler educational instruments are devoted to helping kids groove and feel the beat and cultivating sensitivity to music and the perspective of rhythm. They are made of environmentally friendly materials, safe and reliable for young children. You can spend time with your toddlers and enjoy making music.

Benefit – These musical instruments develop intelligence, improve hand-to-eye coordination and social skills and sharpen concentration. They exercise the brainpower of toddlers and engage them as they love noise and music.

Montessori Busy Board

de Moca Montessori Busy Boards for Toddlers is an educational toy for 2-3 years old’s. Sensory board toddler toy with ten preschool activities.

It is made of wood and safe for children. It is a lock and latches wooden activity board, carefully crafted for kids to play and learn how to solve the labyrinth, spin the gear wheels or click the switch button.

It is a screen-free alternative idea that makes it one of the best gifts for your toddlers. The busy board is designed to have varying difficulty levels and is ideal for differently-abled children.

Benefit – With lots of activities, your toddlers remain busy learning many practical skills like tying shoes and dressing. They learn to become independent and develop fine motor skills.

Child-sized Cleaning Set

The Montessori method encourages children to participate in everyday household activities as it instills responsibility and independence in them. This realistic child-size cleaning set is a perfect gift that will allow that.

Toddlers love cleaning up their messes, and simple tasks like mopping and sweeping can occupy them for a very long time. Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop is made of wood and is child safe.

Benefit – It inspires hours of pretend play, and helps them develop coordination and fine motor skills. This skill-building and confidence-boosting set help strengthen and sharpen the sense of purpose in children. It also encourages screen-free, hands-on, and open-ended play.

Montessori Peg Board Toys

As your 2-3-year-old toddlers start learning to count, Montessori Peg Board Toys will make the perfect gift for them.

It is non-toxic and provides a fun way to learn numbers, and develop basic math skills like counting, adding, subtraction numbers, matching, and many more number games with the printable activity book. Easy storage, durability, and quick clean-up make these toys ideal for you to gift your child.

Benefit – Peg board toys promote physical and intellectual development in children. They are perfect substitutes for screen-free toys, focusing on Montessori principles and promoting STEM.

The activities improve the ability to number learning, count, and fine motor skills while learning through play, and developing hand-eye coordination. They also help recognize and interpret the written numerical symbols.

Very Hungry Caterpillar Lacing Set

The World of Eric Carle(TM) The Very Hungry Caterpillar(TM) Lacing Cards come with ten lacing cards. It will surely capture the attention of children and provide hours of entertainment. These are perfect for tiny hands to grip.

Benefit – Lacing in and out of pre-punched holes improves hand-eye coordination for small children. The children strengthen their fine motor skills while completing the activity.

The above list of Montessori gifts will help you choose the right kind for your 2-3 years old toddler. They will enjoy and have fun learning skills that will transform them into independent, confident, and responsible human beings. You will also have time for yourself as your toddlers are engaged in meaningful educational play.

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